Usually, it is difficult to obtain stereoregular polymers, in particular, isotactic polymers, by radical polymerization of vinyl monomers. So far, only several kinds of methacrylate and methacrylamide polymers having bulky ester substituents have been reported to have an isotactic structure (Non-Patent Document 1); however, the manufacture of these polymers is complicated. The polymers are unstable as they degrade with heat of several tens of degrees. Moreover, in the molecule these polymers have only one functional group, which is either an ester group or an amide group. As such, currently, it is difficult to produce polyfunctional polymers.
Non-Patent Document 2 discloses a production process of a bifunctional polymer having a hydroxy group and a carboxyl group in the monomer constituent unit. However, the bifunctional polymer obtained by this method does not have stereoregularity, in particular, high isotacticity. Moreover, in this bifunctional polymer, many intramolecular lactones derived from an atactic structure or syndiotactic structure are formed. Accordingly, this method is insufficient for production of a polyfunctional polymer in which the functionality of the hydroxy group and the carboxyl group are effectively exhibited.
Patent Document 1 reports production of a stereoregular polymer by living radical polymerization. However, this method produces N-isopropylacrylamide or like monofunctional polymers, and the method does not always ensure high isotacticity of the polymers.